We are having rare studies on Nuristan and facing difficulties accessing to sources that study Nuristan, hence this blog was created to explore the unique history,culture society,custom,people and political situation of Nuristan. This Blog aims to collect information from different sources to create a data base of Nuristan related issues exploring Nuristan s' challenges and ask this question from all Nuristanis.Have We Enlightened Nuristan with the Light of Islam,Knowledge and Unity?

Aug 18, 2014

Old Nuristan (Kafiristan) in pictures

shrine
of Arom ( Kam tribal God ) Kamdesh Kafiristan , inside the wooden
enclosure is a holy stone sacred to the God Arom . As God of contracts
all oaths and treaties were taken and sealed at Aroms shrine .

Aspai
village - upper Bashgal valley Kafiristan = Gromma = holy dancing
platform .This village was visited and photographed by Sir Lovelock in
1885 ( Gilgit mission ect ) , photos of village effigies and Kati lady
in horned headdress are held at the London India office archive /
British museum ect . This village was built like a fort with only 1
entry point with all the houses facing inwards .

Upper
Presun valley Kafiristan . This valley was scared to Mara (Imra- Dezau
) the Great God of Kafiristan , here he had his largest and holiest
temple along with several shrines , altars and other sacred spaces . Unlike the warlike other Kafiristani tribes the Presun valley tribe was
peaceful and very religious .The Presun tribe are considered to be among
the first to settle the hindu kush .

The
Mara Temple of Presun valley Kafiristan ( the spiritual centre of
Kafiristan ) known to the Kalashi as the Temple of Mahandeo , holiest
site in all of Kafiristan. It had 7 large door's ( 5 of which were
closed all the time ) on it's front side with several large effigy's of
Mara ( Imra )and much lovely carving as well. A holy cave near by was
used to offer sacrifice and was in Kafiristani
mythology a direct entrance to the underworld of the Ancestor's ( one
had to walk backwards to approach it as all those who looked at it were
cursed ). In a house next door to the Temple was an iron pole that Imra
himself had placed there = that was the axis mundi of the Kafiristani
world . see Robersons - Kafirs of the Hindu Kush for a detailed
description of the Temple .

Imra's altar at the Kati village of Brumotul- Mumret valley - Kalasha desh

Kafiristani loving couple chair carving

Brumotul big man Kafiristani grave house

Waigal / Ashkungal area Kafiristani loving couple post

Kafiristani big man grave house Waigal valley

Imra's
( Dezau ) shrine and Sacred tree at Urtsun valley . The shrine's Kam
influence is clear , this valley had a mixed Kalashi + Kam tribal
society . A simple carving of Imra's face sits up top and is crowned
with horns.

Imra's
( Dezau ) shrine and Sacred tree at Urtsun valley . The shrine's Kam
influence is clear , this valley had a mixed Kalashi + Kam tribal
society . A simple carving of Imra's face sits up top and is crowned
with horns.

Kafiristani carving and a common Kalashi design too used to adorn doors and beams on there houses .

Dara
= Kafiristani memorial gateway in Bashgul valley at the entrance to a
side valley .These , like the effigys were erected to honour Big Men in
the community

winter
rite at shrine of Dizane Kamdesh lower Bashgal valley Kafiristan =
shrine is made in the Parun valley style , unlike the local flat roofed
Bashgal valley type shrine. Imra's shrine can just be made out in the
background , these shrine's were above Kamdesh and Imra and other god's
had more shrine's below Kamdesh , there was all so a sacred pool below
Kamdesh .

Altar of Sajigor Rukmu valley- Kalasha desh

Female Kafiristani effigy = horned ect

Kam
woman dance to the Gods while there men raid .The horned headdress that
was used by the Bashgal valley women for religious dances and such .The
horns can be seen in female effigys ( todays Kalashi only make male
effigys ).

Brumotul
village house carvings Mumret valley Kalasha desh. Brumotul was
originally a small hamlet that protected the Kalashi from Kati raids (
just like Kunisht ), but after the conquest of Kafiristan by the Afgan's several hundred Kati and Kam tribal refugee's settled in 3 of the
then 5 Kalashi valleys of Urtsun - Mumret and Rumbur As well as 2 or
3 non Kalashi villages in the Chitral region

Bragmatal
( Lutdeh ) upper Bashgal valley kafiristan , it was from bragmatal that a large part of the Brumotul , Kunisht Kati refugees came in the
late 1890s .after the Afgans had destroyed all the temples and shrines ,
murdered many priests - Islamic mullas were sent in . Those in the
upper Bashgal valley were all invited to Lutdeh were they were all
killed to appease those spirits of the murdered , it was after this
that several hundred Kati from upper Bashgal valley fled to Kalash a
desh just as winter closed the mt passes behind them

Nuristani people are not Asian and Islamic but descendants of Greece,Macedonia and surrounding countries with ancient pagan religion. Monstrous and uncivilized rulers of Afghanistan and Pakistan have destroyed and are slowly destroying them completely instead of treasuring them.

I am from Assam ( Northeast of India ). Old name of my province was Kamrup. I find many similarities between the words of both place. In kamviri language, ripe is called as ' Poka ' , We have the same word. A Liar is called as ' Misolea ' in kamviri and in Assamese language. I think the people of Kamdesh migrated to north india through Himalayan route and settled in Assam.

Thanks Gouratra. Enough written documents are not available on Nuristan's history, people and culture. I have not been to India, however, for sure there cultural and linguistic similarities found which requires further research and studies.